Typically, walkers are used by the elderly or invalid persons to assist in the ambulation process, that is, to enable such person to be able to walk certain distances on their own. Such walkers are quite common and, in general, most commonly have a pair of side frames, generally configured as A-shape or inverted U-shape and which are joined together with one or more cross-members so that the walker is sufficiently strong to support the person. The side frames include legs that extend downwardly to contact the ground for support of the walker as the person ambulates.
Thus the upper portion of the side frames is a horizontal section that can be gripped by the user so that the walker can be used for the support as well as progressed forwardly by the user at each step. Preferably the overall unit can be formed of a tubular metal, such as aluminum, and the various components welded together to provide the necessary strength.
One of the features of some of the current walkers is the addition of a seat that can be moved into a horizontal position by the user so that the user can, as desired, sit down to rest or as needed in the event of a medical need. It is obviously important that the seat be readily available to the user when needed and yet be fully out of the way when the user is utilizing the walker to move from one location to another.
Most such seats require substantial dexterity in moving the seat out of the way when changing locations and in moving the seat from a stored vertical position to a horizontal position. This can be difficult for a person with limited dexterity. Such a walker is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,940,637.
In addition, in the construction of seated walkers, there is generally a side brace that joins the two legs of each of the side frames. The side brace is important to provide the structural strength and integrity of the overall walker and, accordingly, it was deemed preferable to the structural integrity that the side brace be located at a lowered position joining the legs; that is, that the side brace be relatively close to the ground that is contacted by the legs when utilizing the walker.
The braces, however, are also a convenient structural component to use as support for the seat when it is pivoted to its lower, horizontal position. Therefore, there is an unresolved conflict in the construction of such walkers. It is clearly advantageous for the seat to be supported by the side braces, but the design goal of positioning the side braces to be as low as possible would normally result in the seat being too low to be comfortable and convenient for the user. A low positioned seat, obviously, makes it difficult for the user to be able to sit and arise without difficulty. Thus, it would be advantageous to be able to construct a walker where the side braces are sufficient so as to optimize structural integrity and strength of the walker, and yet to allow the seat, when in its horizontal position, to be oriented at a sufficient height so that the user can comfortably sit and stand without difficulty.
It is also highly advantageous to provide a walker with a utility tray for carrying books and beverages, such as water bottles, soda cans and the like as well as canes and umbrellas, which can be easily mounted and removed from the walker when changing locations. In order to maximize the flexibility of the walker it is desirable to provide a readily mountable-demountable combined seat and utility tray to allow for use by elderly or impaired persons with limited dexterity.
Conventional solutions for providing movable or removable seats and/or tray tables for walkers have been unsatisfactory in various aspects. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,371,142, a hinged seat is employed, but the seat is not readily removable. Similar hinged seats are proposed in US Patent Publication 2005/0121258A1; Canadian Patent 1,247,513 and U.S. Design Pat. 567,151. Foldable seats permanently affixed to the walker-are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,850,641 and 4,907,839 and Chinese Patent 2815339.
A removable utility tray is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,547,027 which employs armrest platforms which require complex mounts to be permanently affixed to the walker. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,948,727 a tray is coupled to a top edge of a collapsible walker which makes the walker difficult to move when so mounted. Folding walker trays are commercially available, such as the folding INVACARE® Walker Tray. However such trays are not detachable, are not adapted to be used as a seat and are relatively expensive, requiring sophisticated folding mechanisms for repositioning when not in use.